Principles of Neural Design
Principles of Neural Design
Cite
Abstract
The human brain is far smarter than a supercomputer but requires 100,000-fold less energy and space. Such efficient information processing is governed by ten principles of design. These apply to the whole brain across the full range of spatial and temporal scales, and to the brains of all species. The principles are: compute with chemistry; compute directly with analog primitives; combine analog and pulsatile processing; code sparsely; send only what information is needed for a particular task; transmit information at the lowest acceptable rate; minimize wire; make neural components irreducibly small; complicate; adapt and match, learn and forget. This approach does not explain the “hows” of brain design but does explain many of the “whys”. For example, it explains why certain signals are sent via hormones and others via nerves; why neural wires are mostly thin with only a few thick; why synapses differ in size, number and reliability according to the circuit that they serve; why every neuron type has a characteristic shape; why the cerebral cortex is parceled into different areas and different layers; why learning couples to forgetting. “Whys” explained on nearly every page. Given the explanatory power of ten principles, we should search for more.
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Front Matter
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Introduction
Peter Sterling
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1
What Engineers Know about Design
Peter Sterling
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2
Why an Animal Needs a Brain
Peter Sterling
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3
Why a Bigger Brain?
Peter Sterling
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4
How Bigger Brains Are Organized
Peter Sterling
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5
Information Processing: From Molecules to Molecular Circuits
Peter Sterling
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6
Information Processing in Protein Circuits
Peter Sterling
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7
Design of Neurons
Peter Sterling
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8
How Photoreceptors Optimize the Capture of Visual Information
Peter Sterling
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9
The Fly Lamina: An Efficient Interface for High-Speed Vision
Peter Sterling
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10
Design of Neural Circuits: Recoding Analogue Signals to Pulsatile
Peter Sterling
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11
Principles of Retinal Design
Peter Sterling
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12
Beyond the Retina: Pathways to Perception and Action
Peter Sterling
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13
Principles of Efficient Wiring
Peter Sterling
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14
Learning as Design/Design of Learning
Peter Sterling
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15
Summary and Conclusions
Peter Sterling
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End Matter
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